John Brown: The New Testament does not abolish the establishment principle

From On the Absurdity of Authoritative Toleration of Gross Heresy, Blasphemy or Idolatry by John Brown of Haddington

Capital punishments in the Old Testament have not been abolished in the New

Though God never, in scripture, commands that any lesser mistakes in religion or a simple neglect of religious duties should be punished, yet He commands magistrates, suitably and seasonably, to punish, even unto death, idolaters, particularly seducers to it (Deut 13:2-15, Deut 17:2-7 & Exod 22:20), blasphemers (Lev 24:15-16), and insolent profaners of the Sabbath (Num 15:30-36).

Where in all the New Testament is there a single hint of the repeal of such laws, any more than of those concerning murder (Gen 9:6 & Num 35:30-31)?

Where is a single hint that Christ’s incarnation, and His death for sin and to save men, abolished these laws, and procured for magistrates a right and power, in the name of God, to license, encourage and protect heretics, blasphemers, and idolaters, who openly and obstinately labour to offend God, and destroy and damn men?

God approves, in Scripture, magistrates legislating true worship

God, in scripture, frequently approves of magistrates requiring their subjects to worship the true God, in a right manner, and of their suppressing and punishing idolatry, as [for example]:

Scripture never hints that those magistrates acted as church officers, or merely typical persons, in their reformation work. Nay, even heathen magistrates, whom no one can pretend to have been ecclesiastical rulers, have, with His approbation, made laws to promote the honour of the true God, and against contemnors of Him; as:

Artaxerxes king of Persia (Ezra 7:13-26), which God in mercy put into his heart (Ezra 7:27)

Cyrus and Darius, both Persians (Ezra 1:1-5, 6:1-14)

Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean (Dan 3:28-29) and

Darius the Mede (Dan 6:26).

Scripture promises blessing when magistrates are obedient in this manner

God promised, as a blessing to the gospel-church, that magistrates should exercise their power in favours of her revealed religion, and in opposition to false teachers, and their abominable delusions, as: